By withdrawing from the Republican primary in New Hampshire on Tuesday, DeSantis saved himself from a catastrophic defeat, according to the New York Times (“NYT”). DeSantis thus stopped his long, slow political hemorrhage, the newspaper continued.
That means there will be a showdown in New Hampshire between the former president and his last remaining competitor, Nikki Haley, former governor of South Carolina and former US ambassador to the UN.
Portal/Alyssa Pointer After a DeSantis campaign rally in Iowa on January 15
Failed “Best Trump” Strategy
According to US media, DeSantis' misjudgments and missteps began early in his campaign – he wanted to be the “best Trump”. Thus, he followed Trump's combative style and his “America First” slogan. DeSantis argued that he was more electable, more loyal to conservative values and more effective in implementing an agenda, according to The Washington Post (“WP”). He criticized Trump as a “high risk” for Republicans who would bring only “low reward” to the GOP.
Portal/Mike Segar DeSantis and Nikki Haley debate in Iowa on January 10
However, this strategy failed. Republican voters did not turn their backs on Trump; on the contrary, driven by indignation at the accusations against Trump, they supported him.
I didn't find any connections with people
Apparently it wasn't the only misjudgment in DeSantis' campaign: it wasn't a well-run campaign, the Washington Post said, citing a DeSantis adviser who wished to remain anonymous. There was no coherent message, insufficiently experienced advisors and an inadequate giving program. By the time DeSantis made the adjustments, it was too late.
Portal/Kevin Lamarque DeSantis campaign bus with slogan “Never Back Down”
“I don’t think even the best-run campaign would have defeated Trump,” the adviser told the Washington Post. According to the BBC, DeSantis has not found a connection with his voters; in fact, he was strange and lacked charisma, the BBC continued.
Emergency brake before further damage to the image
According to the Washington Post, DeSantis was told by his advisers that an unsuccessful continuation would also damage his reputation and brand as a politician. DeSantis sees his future tied to the Republican Party, according to another unnamed Washington Post source. DeSantis does not want to suffer further damage until 2028 – the year after the US presidential election, the newspaper wrote.
Portal/Jonathan Drake In 2023, DeSantis still thought he had a chance against Trump – here at a mid-year event
In 2023, DeSantis was still considered a real threat to Trump. At the time, Trump was blamed for the Republicans' relatively poor midterm results; DeSantis was seen as a shining light, as he had once again won the Florida gubernatorial election in 2022. But the momentum for DeSantis ended relatively quickly, as the outcome of the Republican primaries ultimately brought disillusionment, according to the BBC .
DeSantis was relatively new to the national scene. Trump, as former US president, has a much higher level of recognition, “unlimited” money and a committed voter base, the BBC said citing a Republican expert.
Portal/Reba Saldanha Trump takes the stage at one of his campaign rallies
Trump mockery undermined DeSantis
By expressing his support for Trump when he withdrew from the primaries, DeSantis appears to have tried to unite the conservative wing of the party behind Trump, the NYT continued. But DeSantis ignored the fact that he was bending the knee to a man who systematically ridiculed him. Trump's constant mockery — from DeSantis' facial expressions to his choice of shoes — has systematically undermined DeSantis' image as a confident conservative, according to the NYT.
After DeSantis' departure, Trump says he wants to reduce verbal attacks on his former competitor. According to US media, he will no longer use the derogatory nickname “Ron DeSanctimonious” in the future, Trump said on Sunday (local time) during a campaign appearance in Manchester, New Hampshire. “Santimonious” means hypocrite in German. “This name is now officially obsolete,” Trump was quoted as saying.
Portal/Mike Segar Trump relies on unfair means such as ridicule
Racist resentment directed against Haley
Trump is known for inventing derogatory nicknames for political opponents, such as “Sleepy Joe” for US President Joe Biden and “Crooked Hillary” for his 2016 Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.
Even against his last competitor, Haley, Trump recently increased the tone of his verbal attacks and called the daughter of Indian immigrants “Nimbra” – in reference to her birth name, Nimarata Nikki Randhawa. He is accused of deliberately fomenting racist resentment.